Rearview device with moveable head assembly

Abstract

A rear view device for a motor vehicle includes a base assembly for arrangement on the motor vehicle, a moveable head assembly attached to the base assembly, and an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism including a fixed part attached to the base assembly and a moveable part attached to the head assembly, where the actuation mechanism allows movement of the moveable part with respect to the fixed part in one or more axes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rear view device for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a base assembly for arrangement on the motor vehicle;   a moveable head assembly attached to the base assembly, the moveable head assembly comprising a housing and one or more rear view means including a mirror or display; and   an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism comprising a fixed part attached to the base assembly and a moveable part attached to the head assembly,   wherein the actuation mechanism allows movement of the moveable part with respect to the fixed part in one or more axes and, in turn, movement of the housing of the moveable head assembly with respect to the base assembly,   wherein the base assembly further comprises a foot providing a spherical seat for a lower casing element of the head assembly, and frame means providing at least one spherical seat for the casing, with the frame means being attached to the fixed part.   
     
     
         2 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lid section and a housing section provided on the moveable head assembly;   a first rear view means for displaying a first side or rear area of the motor vehicle in relation to the driving direction; and   a second rear view means for displaying a second side or rear area of the motor vehicle in relation to the driving direction,   wherein the second rear view means is arranged on the lid section, with the lid section and the second rear view means forming a combined, single-piece component, and   wherein the lid section comprises a polymeric substrate, which is coated with a chromium-based reflective coating in the region of the combined, single-piece component for providing the second rear view means where the second rear view means is a reflective element   
     
     
         3 . The rear view device of  claim 2 , wherein the lid section comprises a bezel section in addition to the coated, combined, single-piece component providing a second rear view means section. 
     
     
         4 . The rear view device of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric substrate is also coated in the bezel section. 
     
     
         5 . The rear view device of  claim 4 , wherein the coating in the bezel section comprises a chromium-based reflective coating. 
     
     
         6 . The rear view device of  claim 4 , wherein the coating in the bezel section differs from the coating in the second rear view means section with respect to at least one of color and reflectivity. 
     
     
         7 . The rear view device of  claim 2 , wherein the housing section and the lid section seal a hollow area of the rear view device from an outside environment over an entire circumference of the hollow area, or wherein the housing section, the lid section and the first rear view means seal the hollow area of the head section from an outside environment over an entire circumference of the hollow area. 
     
     
         8 . The rear view device according to  claim 2  wherein the first rear view means comprises at least one of a coating, a chromium-based reflective coating, a reflective element, a display means, a screen, an LED screen and an LCD screen. 
     
     
         9 . The rear view device according to  claim 2 , wherein a curvature of a surface of the first rear view means section differs from a curvature of a surface of the second rear view means section. 
     
     
         10 . The rear view device of  claim 2 , wherein the second rear view means is tilted with respect to at least one axis. 
     
     
         11 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , further comprising a camera unit immovably secured within at least one of the fixed base assembly or the moveable head assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The rear view device of  claim 11 , further comprising a camera connector which is positioned in a non-moving area of the fixed base assembly and receives the camera unit. 
     
     
         13 . The rear view device of  claim 11 , further comprising a camera connector which is positioned in a non-moving area of the moveable head assembly and receives the camera unit. 
     
     
         14 . The rear view device of  claim 13 , further comprising a glass element and a lens, wherein the camera is configured to obtain a rear view image through the glass element and obtain an image underneath the mirror through the lens. 
     
     
         15 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower casing element, an upper casing element, and a removable cassette bezel, wherein the removable cassette bezel comprises a lower mating portion configured to hingedly attach to the lower casing element and an upper mating portion configured to fit into the upper casing element. 
     
     
         16 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper cradle and a lower cradle, and the upper cradle and the lower cradle are attached to the moveable part of the articulation assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The rear view device of  claim 16 , further comprising a fixed case frame, the fixed case frame comprising a hole for receiving a joint attachment between the upper cradle and the lower cradle, wherein the fixed case frame is configured to absorb downward load applied on the external rear view device to protect the articulation assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The rear view device of  claim 17 , wherein the fixed case frame comprises a shape corresponding to a shape of the articulation assembly so that the fixed case frame wraps around and covers a side of the articulation assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to adjust the rear view device between an outboard drive condition, a standard drive condition, a park condition, and positions therebetween. 
     
     
         20 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to adjust the rear view device to a park condition, and an angle of inward folding in the park condition can be pre-set by a user and saved for later use. 
     
     
         21 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , further comprising a blind spot monitor and a turn signal indicator, wherein the blind spot monitor and the turn signal indicator are formed as a single unit immovably attached to one another and sharing at least one of a light source or a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         22 . The rear view device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to adjust the rear view device inwardly or outwardly and upwardly or downwardly so that movement inwardly or outwardly is capable of changing the field of view and placing the mirror in the park position using the same actuator. 
     
     
         23 . The rear view device of  claim 22 , wherein the actuation mechanism allows a range of angular motion of the rear view device which is greater in the inwardly or outwardly direction than in the upwardly or downwardly direction.